Apparatus for making non-conducting coverings.



PATENTED NOV. 22, 1.904.

J. A. MGCONNELL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING NON-CONDUCTING GOVER-INGS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

3 SEEETSSHBBT 2.

PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904 J. A. MGOONNBLL. APPARATUS FOR MAKINGNON-CONDUCTING GOV ERINGS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 23,1904.

N0 MODEL.

No. 775,849. PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904. J. A. McGONNBLL.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING NON-CONDUCTING covmmes.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23,190

N0 MODEL s SHEETS-SHEET s.

no. erases.

JOHN A. MCGONNELL, OF ALLEGHENY, PlClSINSYIiVANlr-X, ASSlGNOR fifateutedNovember 53%,1904.

MGCONNELL ASBESTOS & COVERING (30., OF PllTlSBURl-i, PENNSYL- VANIA, AlORPORATION OF PENNSYl'vVAiS lA.

APPARATUS FOR IVIAKlNG NON-CONDMETlNG CGWEFHNGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,8d9, dated November22, 1904:.

Original application filed February 15, 1902, Serial No- 98y934n Dividedand this application filed February 28, 1904. Serial N0.194=,808. (Nmodel.)

To all who/r1,

Be it known that 1, J only A. MoCoNNmm. a resident of Allegheny, in thecounty of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful III'IDIOVGIIlGfilJ in Apparatus for Making Non-ConductingCoverings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to apparatus for mak- 1 0 ing non-conductingcoverings for steam-pipes, refrigerator-pipes, boilers, and the like,and more especially for making such coverings from a layer or layers ofloose fibrous material such as hair, asbestos fiber, or other suitablenon heat conducting material-envel oped in layers of paper, felt, orother suitable material.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 93,93t,filed February 13, 1902.

In the manufacture of tubular non-heat-conducting coverings of thecharacter above described it has been the custom to interpose a layer ofthe fibrous material between en velo ping sheets, suitably secure thesame together, and then Wrap the same around a mandrel into tubularform. It has been the custom to make such coverings in sections aboutthree feet long, and the ope rations described have had to be repeatedfor each of said sections and were performed entirely by hand. This is aslow process, so that by the most improved apparatus heretofore in useit has not been possible for two persons operating such apparatus tomake more than one thousand feet per day of covering for small-sizedpipes and a very much less quantity for larger sizes.

The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for making tubularcoverings of 4 the kind described, whereby said coverings are made atquick intervals from practically continuous strips of envelopingmaterial, such as paper or cloth, and a continuous layer of fillingmaterial, so that almost an unlimited quantity of covering can be madein a day and in such a manner that said covering is pro. vided with onlya single longitudinal joint.

To these ends my invention consists. generally stated, inprovidingapparatus whereby enveloping strips of paper, felt, cloth, orother similar material may be laid together with an interposed layer orlayers of loose non-coir ducting material- --such as asbestos fiber,mineral wool, or l1air---together with means for cutting the assembledstrips and layers into 5= sections of the desired length, means forsuitably securing the same together, and means for bending such cut-elfassembled sections into tubular form.

More s iiecilically stated, my invention comprises an arrangement ofapparatus whereby loose fibrous material is laid down in a continuouslayer of uniform thickness and compactl ed and then introduced betweenthe enveloping sheets, the latter then secured together by stitching orstapling and then cut into sections and bent into tubular form, thebending device acting intermittently and the other parts of theapparatus also necessarily acting intermittently to supply the assembledsections to the bending mechanism at suitable intervals.

My invention also consists in details of construction and arrangement ofparts, as will hereinafter appear.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section throughmy apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. i is a similar section on the line i 4:,Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively plan and side views of thebending mechanism, on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 7 is a detail of amodified form of I bending-arm.

'lhe loose fibrous iinaterial is laid down in a practically continuouslayer and compacted and then introduced between the enveloping l strips.The loose fibrous material is placed into a hopper l of a rotary picker2, which l is positively driven from any suitable source, 9

such as the belt-pulleys 3, and which picker delivers the fibrousmaterial in a thin uniform layer through the spout 4 upon an apron,belt, or chains 5, running over the table 6. This apron or belt at eachend of the table passes over rollers 7, which are driven from anysuitable source of power.

To compact or felt the fibrous material on the apron or belt 5, Iprovide a series of hammers 8, mounted on rock-shafts 9, extendingtransversely over the table 6 and having connected thereto the arms 10,which are actuated from any suitable source, such as eccentrics 11 onthe picker-shaft, which eccentrics are connected by suitable rods 12 tothe arms 10 of the rock-shafts. Alternate ones of these rock-shafts 9are preferably connected to separate eccentrics, as shown in plan view,Fig. 2, wherein an eccentric is provided on each end of thepicker-shaft, and the connectingrods 12 on the two sides are connectedto alternate ones of the rock-shafts. These two eccentrics are placed inreverse position on the picker-shaft, so that when one half of thehammers are raised the other half will be depressed, as indicated inFig. 1. Through the action of the eccentrics these hammers alternatelyrise and fall and stamp or press the loose fibrous material down uponthe apron 5 upon the table and compact the same.

At the end of the table 6 is another table, 14, at the forward end ofwhich are the guiderollers 15. The enveloping strips of paper, canvas,or other material are carried on spools or rolls 16, suitably supportedone above and the other below the table 1 L. From these spools thelayers of enveloping material are led over the guide-rollers 15, oneabove and the other below the layer of fibrous material which is fedforward by the apron or belt 5. The combined layers of fibrous materialand enveloping strips are then fed forward to suitable stitching orstapling mechanism 17, which will unite the enveloping strips at theiredges, as indicated at 18, so as to inclose the fibrous filling, andpreferably will also unite the layers along the center, as at 19. Fromthis stitching mechanism the filled covering passes through a pair ofplain-faced feed-rollers 20, which press or compact the same and alsofeed it forward. These rollers are adjustable by means of ordinaryadjusting-screws and they 1 feed the filled covering onto the table 21,where a section of the desired length is cut off by any suitable means,such as the saw 22, mounted in the lower end of a swinging frame 23,suspended on acounter-shaft 24, mounted l on the ceiling overhead, sothat said frame 5 and saw can be swung transversely across the l path ofthe filled covering and cut off a secl tion of the desired length. Thesaw is driven from the counter-shaft 24 by a suitable belt 25 passingover pulleys on the counter-shaft and saw-arbor, respectively.

r l l The bending mechanism may be of any of the forms shown in myapplication Serial No. 93,934, and the specific bending mechanism shownherein is one of the forms shown in the said application,but not claimedtherein. This specific bending mechanism comprises the table 21, adaptedto support the cut-off sections and provided with suitable guides orgages 26 for engaging the edges of said section and positioning thesame. Mounted under this table are two rock-shafts 28, each carrying aseries of bending-arms 29, which normally lie in approximately ahorizontal position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4, and which areadapted to be swung upwardly and toward each other, so as to engage theedges of the sections and bend the same into tubular form around asuitable mandrel 30. For this purpose the rock-shafts 28 are providedwith arms 31, which are connected by means of cords or chains 32,passing over suitable guide-pulleys 33 to the counter-weighted treadle3 1. pressing on this treadle the rock-shafts 28 will be actuated toswing the arms 29 from the dotted-line position (shown in Fig. &) to thefull-line position thereof, thus bending the assembled section aroundthe mandrel 30. Upon releasing the treadle 3 the counterweight 35 willpermit the arms 29 to return to their normal positions. These arms areslightly curved, as shown, so as to bend the covering into proper form.

The mandrel 3O presses the material along its longitndinal center downonto the table 21 and holds the same in position while the edges arebeing bent upwardly by the arms 29 to the position shown in Fig. a, thearticle then being approximately a tube open at its upper edge. Themandrel is then withdrawn and bands or the like are applied to thearticle to complete its formation into tubular shape and to hold it insuch shape. The mandrel 30 is secured to the lower end of plungers 38,and in order to permit its easy withdrawal from the bentup article it ishinged to the lower ends of said plungers, as shown, and has one edgethereof weighted, so that when pressure is relieved it will assume avertical position, as shown in Fig. 6; but when pressed onto the articleit will swing down into the horizontal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

The plungers 38 are moved upwardly and downwardly by any suitablemechanismsuch, for instance, as by having formed thereon the racks 39,which are engaged by gears 10 on a suitable overhead shaft 4E1, so thatwhen this shaft is rotated in one direction the plungers 38 will bedepressed, thereby carrying the mandrel 3O downwardly to press the filedsection upon the table 21, while when said shaft is rotated in theopposite direction the mandrel will be raised and withdrawn from thebent-up covering.

Any suitable mechanism may be used for rotating the shaft 41.-such, forinstance, as a treadle 43, cord 44 connected thereto and wound on a drum45 on the shaft 41, and the cord 46, wound on a drum 47 and having atits free end the counterweight 48. By depressing the treadle 43 theshaft 41 will be rotated to lower the mandrel 30 and wind the cord 46 onthe drum 47; but when said treadle is released the counterweight 48 willrotate the shaft in the opposite direction and elevate the mandrel.Various other forms of mech anism for doing this may be provided.

It will be observed that the bending mechanism described operatesintermittently, and as a consequence the driving means for the pickerfor the belt 5 and for the feed-rollers 20 will also operateintermittently, so as to remain idle during the bending of one section;but as soon as the mandrel 30 is elevated these several mechanisms willagain be put in action to supply and feed forward a new section. Thetreadle 43 therefore may be connected to a suitable clutch mechanism forthrowing into and out of operation the driving means for the picker, forthe belt 5, and for the feed-rollers 20 and may also control suitablemechanism for swinging the sawframe 23 to carry the saw across the pathof the assembled strips to sever the same. In coverings of thischaracter it is desirable to have one of the enveloping strips somewhatwider than the other, so as to form a projecting flap to cover over thejoint. The mechanism described is adapted for forming suchextension-flap by merely having the material on one of the rolls l6wider than that of the other. In this event one of the guides 26 will beprovided with a slot or groove 50 for receiving the projecting portionof the wider enveloping strip.

Various modifications may be made in the mechanism described withoutdeparting from my invention. In lieu of the bending-arms 29 I mayprovide substantially hook-shaped arms 51. (Shown in Fig. 7.) With thelat ter, however, the mandrel 30 will not be used, as it could not beWithdrawn from the tube because of the projecting ends of the hooks 51.In lieu of the bending mechanism shown I may employ the preferred. formof bending mechanism shown and claimed in my application abovementioned, wherein the mandrel 30 serves as a plunger to force thesection 1 down into a suitable slot in a table or frame, so that theside walls of said slot will bend the edges of the sections up aroundthe mandrel and into approximately tubular form.

The operation of the apparatus described will be readily understood, thepicker 2 serving to lay the loose fibrous material in a continuous anduniform layer onto the belt 5, where it is compacted by the hammers 8and fed forward and introduced between the enveloping sheets coming fromthe rolls 16. The whole is then suitalfly secured together by thestitching or stapling mechrmism 1'7 and fed forward intermittently bythe rollers 20 onto the l )endingtable 21. The saw 22 is periodicallyswung across the path of the assembied layers and severs a section ofsuitable length. As soon as the saw begins to cut oil the section theforward feeding mechanism and picker come to a stop. By the time thesection is severed the mandrel 30 will have been brought into contactwith the section to firmly press the same down upon the table 21. Thearms 29 are then immediately swung up into the position shown in Fig. 4,thus bending the section into approximately tubular form. The treadle 43is then released, so as to permit the mandrel to be withdrawn, and bandsor the like are applied to the article to complete its formation intotubular shape and to hold it in such shape, after which the arms 29 arepermitted to resume their horizontal positions and the picker andfeeding mechanism are again set in operation and again feed theassembled layers onto the table 21, when the foregoing operations willbe repeated.

By means of the apparatus described a rapidly-intermittent operation isprovided, and a very large quantity of the character of coveringdescribed can be made by two persons. The apparatus is simple,eflieient, and not liable to get out of order.

What I claim is 1. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings, thecombination of supports forstrips of paper or other fabric, a picker orthe like for introducing a layer of loose fibrous material be tween saidsheets or strips, means for severing said strips and interposed layers,intermittently-acting bending mechanism for bending the united layersinto tubular form, and in termittently acting feeding mechanism forfeeding the layers to said bending mechanism.

2. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings, the combination of supportsfor strips or sheets of paper or other fabric, a picker or the like forintroducing between said strips or sheets fibrous material in a layer ofuniform thick ness, means for uniting said layers, means for cutting thelayers into sections while in a flat condition, and means for bendingthe cut-off sections into tubular form.

3. In apparatus for forming pi pe-coverings, the combination of supportsfor strips or sheets of paper or other fabric, a picker or the like forintroducing between said sheets or strips fibrous material in a layer ofuniform thickness, stitching or stapling mechanism for uniting saidlayers, means for cutting the layers into sections while in a flatcondition, and means for bending the cut-off sections into tubular form.

4. In apparatus for forming pi1 )e-c verings,

the combination of supports for sheets or strips of paper or otherfabric, a picker or thelike for introducing between said strips orsheets fibrous material in a layer of uniform thickness, means foruniting said layers, means for cutting the layers into sections while ina flat condition, intermittently acting means for bending the cut-ofisections into tubular form, and intermittently-acting feeding means forfeeding the layers to said cutting and bending devices.

5. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings, the combination of supportsfor strips or sheets of paper or other fabric, an intermittentlyactingpicker or the like for introducing a layer of loose fibrous materialbetween said strips or sheets, means for uniting said layers, means forcutting the same into sections while in flat condition, anintermittently-acting device for bending the cut-off sections intotubular form, and intermittently-acting feeding means for feeding thelayers of said cutting-off and bending devices.

6. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings, the combination of supportsfor sheets or strips of paper or other fabric, a picker or the like forlaying down a layer of loose fibrous material, means for compressing thesame before introducing between the fibrous sheets, means for feedingsaid compressed layer between said strips, stitching or staplingmechanism for uniting said strips and layer, and means for bending saidassembled strips into tubular form. v

7. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings, the combination of supportsfor strips or sheets of paper or similar material, a picker or the likefor laying down a layer of loose fibrous material, a traveling apron forreceiving said material from the picker and introducing it between thestrips of paper, means for compressing said layer of fibrous material onsaid apron before introducing between said strips, stitching or staplingmechanism for uniting said strips and layer, and means for bending saidunited layers into tubular form.

8. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings,

the combination of supports for sheets or strips of paper or otherfabric, a picker or the like for laying down a layer of loose fibrousmaterial, a series of hammers for compressing said layer, means forintroducing said layer between said sheets, and means for bending saidassembled sheets and layer into form.

9. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings or the like, the combinationof a traveling belt, a picker for laying down on said belt a layer ofloose fibrous material, a series of hammers for compressing the materialon said belt, means for laying strips or sheets of paper or other fabricabove and below said layer of fibrous material, and means for unitingsaid strips and layer.

10. In apparatus for forming pipe-coverings or the like, the combinationof an endless traveling belt or apron, a picker or the like arranged tolay a layer of loose fibrous material on said belt, a series of hammersfor compressing said layer on said belt, means for laying a strip orsheet of paper or other fabric above and below said layer, means foruniting said strips or layer, and mechanism for bending the same intotubular form.

11. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of fibrous material, abending device comprising a table, vertically-movable means for holdingthe layers of material against said table along their longitudinalcenters only, and mechanism for engaging the edges of the layers andbending the same up into tubular form.

12. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of fibrous material, abending device comprising a table, a vertically-movable longitudinalmandrel arranged to clamp the material along its longitudinal centeronly against said table, and mechanism for engaging the edges of thematerial and bending the same up over the mandrel into tubular form.

13. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of layers of fibrousmaterial, a bending device comprising a table, a vertically-movablemandrel for clamping the material along its longitudinal center onlyagainst said table, swinging arms arranged to engage the edges of thematerial, and means for swinging said arms to cause the same to bend thematerial around the mandrel into tubular form.

14:. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of layers of fibrousmaterial, a bending device comprising a table, a vertically-movablemandrel arranged longitudinally of said table and arranged to engage thematerial along its longitudinal center only, mechanism for raising andlowering said mandrel, swinging arms arranged transversely of the tableand in position to engage the edges of the layers and bend them over themandrel, and means for swinging said arms.

15. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of layers of fibrousmaterial, a bending device comprising a table, a vertically-movablemandrel arranged longitudinally of the table and arranged to engage saidmaterial along its longitudinal center only, verticallymovable plungersto which said mandrel is hinged, pivoted arms arranged transversely ofthe table and in position to engage the edges of the layers and bendthem over the mandrel, and means for swinging said arms.

16. In apparatus for forming tubular articles of layers of fibrousmaterial, a bending device comprising a table, a vertically-movablelongitudinal mandrel for clamping the layers along their longitudinalcenters only against said table, longitudinally-arranged rock-shafts, aseries of arms on said shafts and arrangeifl to engage the edges 01' thelayers and bend them over the mandrel, and means for oscillating saidrock-shafts.

17. In apparatus for forming tubular artieles of layers of fibrousmaterial, a bending device comprising a table, a longitudinally-arrangedmandrel for clampingthe layers against said table,

shafts, a series of arms on said rock-shafts longitudinally arrangedrockarranged to engage the edges of the layers, a treadle, andconnecting means between said treadle and said rock-shafts.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN A. MGCONNELL, have hereunto set myhand.

JOHN A. MOCONNELL. Vitnesses:

ROBERT (J. Tlo'rTnN, G. Knmnm.

